Moving to Canada with Bunnies
By Leigh-Anne Cui
Moving with bunnies can feel overwhelming. Between packing and keeping your bunnies’ stress to a minimum, there are a lot of things to juggle. Because of this, some people decide not to bring their rabbits along when they have a big move, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, rehoming or relinquishing your rabbits will be far more stressful to them than enduring a long trip. In this post, I’ll be sharing my experience of moving to Canada with my two bunnies, Toopie and Helpie (adopted from San Diego House Rabbit Society), and why, despite the challenges, it was completely worth it.
Booking Your Flight
Since none of the rabbit-friendly airlines (those that allow rabbits in-cabin) flew directly from San Diego to my Canadian destination, I decided to fly to a city close to the border, where I could meet my boyfriend and drive the rest of the way home.
I booked a ticket with Alaska Airlines, which at the time still allowed bunnies to travel in-cabin, provided they stayed in a carrier that fit under the seat. Unfortunately, Alaska has since discontinued this option for tickets purchased after June 5, 2025. As far as I know, Spirit and Frontier are currently the only U.S. airlines that still permit rabbits in-cabin. Most airlines charge a pet fee of around $100 and require you to call ahead to reserve a spot in the cabin, so make sure to check your airline’s website well in advance to confirm their latest policies.
What to Pack
Since my boyfriend was meeting me at our destination with his car, he got to pack all the bulky supplies, including a pen, litter box, hay, blankets, and a travel crate for the car journey. That left me free to bring just the essentials in my bunny travel kit.
Thanks to this incredibly helpful SDHRS Instagram post, I had a clear checklist. Here is what I packed:
Critical Care, syringes, gas drops
Pellets, hay, treats, and foraging mix
Portable food and water bowls
Grooming tools
Bag of fresh mixed veggies (prepared the morning of)
For the carrier, I chose a soft-sided one and lined it with a pee pad, a towel for comfort, and some hay. I also printed out all of the bunnies’ paperwork (adoption certificates, vaccine records), just in case anyone asked to see it.
TSA and In-Flight Experience
Bunnies may not want to eat or drink when stressed, so I made sure Toopie and Helpie had a big breakfast of salad and pellets before we left. They were then tucked into their carrier, and we were off to the airport.
Going through TSA was probably the most stressful part of the journey, for both me and the bunnies. At security, you’re required to remove your rabbits from their carrier so the carrier can go through the scanner. You then carry your rabbits through the metal detector, and a TSA agent swabs your hands. Carrying two stressed-out bunnies at once isn’t easy, but luckily, I was traveling with my cousin, so we each held one. If you’re traveling alone, you can always request a private screening to make things a little less overwhelming.
Once that was over and done with, the rest of the trip felt much more manageable. After getting Toopie and Helpie settled back into their carrier, I kept it covered with a towel to minimize stress. Boarding went smoothly, and I tried not to check on them too often until we were in the air, as I knew they were already overstimulated. Toopie expressed his displeasure by flipping his water bowl and digging up the pee pad. Helpie, the more anxious one, buried her head in Toopie’s butt for comfort. Thankfully, about an hour into the flight, they both began to relax and even nibbled on some veggies and treats.
As tempting as it is to mimic those cute Instagram reels where owners take their bunnies out of the carrier to gaze out the airplane window looking for bunny butt-shaped clouds, it’s safest to keep them in the carrier for the entire flight. Not only is it a requirement of the airline, but as a flight attendant friend reminded me, all it takes is one strict screw member to get you banned from flying with pets. Besides, the flight itself is already stressful enough for the bunnies.
Conclusion
Once we landed, my boyfriend picked us up and we spent the night in an AirBnB. The bunnies had their own room to decompress, complete with a pen, litter box, bed, and hideout. To my relief, both Toopie and Helpie were eating and pooping normally. Here is a picture of them flopped after a long day of traveling.
To keep this post from getting too long, here is a fantastic blog post by an SDHRS volunteer for detailed tips on traveling by car with bunnies. As for the border crossing, in my experience, Canadian border agents are usually pretty relaxed. However, it’s always best to be prepared: bring all of your bunnies’ paperwork, and toss any fruits and veggies before crossing. Better safe than sorry!
With that, Toopie and Helpie finally made it home safe and sound. The journey wasn’t without its challenges, but seeing them settled into our new home made it all worthwhile. With the right preparation, your bunnies can travel safely and stay by your side wherever life takes you.
